Drive for the distribution-gear of internal-combustion engines



L. A. CHARLES.

DRIVE FOR THE DlSTRIBUTION GEAR OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION man SEPT. 4. 1919.

- v Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

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A Int/enter in bearings 2 and 3.

LOUIS AUGUEFQTE GHAHLTELS s'rATEs PATENT canton.

, O1? 'LE i ALLUIiB, FRANCE.

DRIVE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION-GEAR U15 INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINEEv.

Application filed September 1, 1919.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that l, LOUIS AUGUs'rn CHARLES, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at No. 18 Rue Fazilleau, Levallois, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drives for the Distri bu'tion-ilear of internal-Combustion l lnglues, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a universal drive for the distributing gear of internal combustion engines. The improved gear drive comprises a cam shaft rotated by the engine with, for each cylinder,

an admission cam, an exhaust cam, a comju'ession-relieving cam, and two came of variable shapes for admitting the fuel and the injection air.

This cam shaft may be shifted longitudinally along its axis so that this shifting shall bring simultaneously under the rockers of thekiuilvesand the injection needle-valves, different concordant sections of the cams corresponding to the various speeds of the.

engine.

The operation of this cam shaft will allow of effecting in a very simple manner all the operations of the engine and all the ad justments in the admission of the fuel andv the injection air. Special devices hereinafter described allow of producing the stoppage and the starting of the engine by the same shifting movement.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example a constructional form of the improved drive applied to an engine of theDiesel type, wherein the admission of the fuel and the injection air is effected by means of two needle-valves as in the engine described. in the present applicants earlier application lilcd April 26th, 1919, and bearing Serial No. 293,040, entitled. An improved injector for internal combustion engines of the Diesel type. 1ngs: 1

Figure 1 is a generalview of the universal. drive for the distributing gear of the engine.

Figs. 2 and 3 are detailed views of the mechanism for effecting the longitudinal shifting of the canrshaft.

As shown, 1 is the cam shaft mounted This shaft carries a toothed wheel 4 driven by a pinion 5 that The shaft 1 carries the various cams that serve ,toioperate all the parts for the admission,

specification of Letters Patent.

In these dr aw- Patented lilar. so, mac.

Serial No. 321,618.

exhaust, and for the injection of the fuel into the engine, namely :the cam 6 for adu'iitting pure air, which through the medium of the rocker '2' pivoted on the axle 8, actuates the pure air admission valve of the engine; the exhaust camv 9 for actuating the exhaust valve through the medium of the rocker 10 pivoted on the same axle 8; the injection camv 11 which through the medium of the rocker 12, actuates the needle valve for ii'ijecting the compressed air; the fuel.- admission cam 13 which through the medium of the rocker 1-1 actuates the fueladmission needle valve; the two last cams are cams of varying shape, and their different sections which are simultaneously in engagement with their rockers are concordant, that is to say, they correspond to a determined speed of running of the engine. Consequently by shifting the shaft 1 in this axial direction, all the various speeds of this engine will be produced.

The air-admission cam 11, and the fueladinission cam 13, are each prolonged beyond the lowest portions of their inclined sections by a cylindrical section 1.5 which corresponds to therest-positions of the airinjecting and fuel -injecting needle valves. By bringing these cylindrical sections under the rockers 12 and 14s, the engine is stopped. The exhaust cam 9 is provided with a nib 9 the function of which is hereinafter described,

The drive 2) for effecting the longitudinal shifting of the cam shaft 1, is constituted as follows The cam shaft 1 is terminated at its left end in shoulders or collars mounted in a ball thrust bearing 16, the cage ofwhich conists of, a sleeve 17 whose outer surface formed with grooves 18 constitutes a screw working in a nut 19 connected to the frame ofthe' engine by means of a feather key 20.

'lhesere 17 is prolonged at left end by a cylindrical portion 21 formed with longitudinal grooves 22 in which the toothed wheel 23 is engaged by means of its hub. The wheel 23 meshes with a worm 24; driven by a hand wheel 25.

The shaft 1 is prolonged. at its left end by a stem 26 3) fitted in a socket 27. Tu the prolongation of this stem 26 there is situated a stud 28 whose end bears, during a. certain part oi the shifting movement of the cam shaft 1 against a valve 29 arranged in the pipe 30 that communicates with a cam shaft by means of the pinion is like compressed air reservoir. This valve is kept constantly compressed against its side by the pressure of the air and of a spring 31. This valve 29 is adapted to establish communication between the pipe 30 and the box 32 of a rotary distributer 33, which thus controls the admission of the compressed air into the engine.

The operation of the drive for displacing the cam shaft is as follows :The actuation of the hand wheel 25 produces, through the medium of the worm 24, rotation of the worm wheel 28, and thus causes, through the grooves 22, rotation of the sleeve 17 that acts as a screw by reason of its helical grooves 18, working in the fixed nut 19, wherebythe sleeve 17 is caused to move longitudinally, in which movement it carries with it the cam shaft 1.

The toothed wheel t serving to rotate this wise mounted on the shaft by n eans of longitudinal grooves that allow the said shaft to move, while the toothed wheel 4L remains fixed between ball bearings.

The longitudinal shifting of the cam shaftlas above described allows of variationso-f speed of the engine and of its stoppage when the rockers 12 and let come to bear upon the, cylindrical portions 15 of the fuel-admission cam 13 and air-admission cam 11. r

When the cam shaft is in this position, then in orderto start the engine it is sufiicient to shift said shaft toward the left for exhaust cam 9-is situated under the roller 10. and the enginewill work by-the action of itheveompressed air without any compression in the cylinders.

The camshaft is then returned toward the right, so that the valve 29 is closed thereby. Then immediately after the starting and immediately before the rockers l2 and 1-1 actuating the fuel needle valve and the injection air-needle, valve, reach their operating inclines, and the normal working of the engine is able to continue, the nib 9 escapes from the rocker 10, and the engine continues to revolve by the momentum of its rotational motion, but this time with compression in the cylinders.

These successive COHlPI'GSSlOHS of pure air have the result of heating the cylinders, vaporizing the water mist that has settled ontheir inside surfaces bythe expansion of the starting air, and likewise of. heating themixture of pure compressed air delivered into each cylinder by the residual hot air that has remained therein after each exhaust.

Owing to these heatings, the fuel on entering the engine will find awaiting it a heated medium that will facilitate the ignition ol the said fuel. Therefore, as above stated, it is possible to cause the engine to run at all speeds, the injection air and the fuel being suitably proportioned, owing to the concordance of the sections of the cams of varying shapes which come simultaneously into operation.

hen it is desired to regulate the engine to run at uniform speed, an automatic governor driven by the engine may be caused to act upon the hand Wheel This governor will have the effect of shifting automatically the shaft 1 in the requisite direction for causing the speed to resume the determined rate irrespectively of the load on the engine. A safety governor may likewise be 1 rovided in connection with the hand wheel 25, for the purpose of limiting the speed to a maXi mum in the case of asudden drop in the re sistance of the driven machine or vehicle.

This case is more particularly useful for ships, in order to prevent the engine from racing when the screw propeller is lifted out of the waterowing to the pitching of the ship.

What I claim is 1. In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine, having fixed upon it an air admission valve actuating cam of uniform shape, an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape, and an injection air admission cam of varying shape, these four cams actuating four rockers; these rockers operating respectively the air admission, exhaust, fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine, the sections of the varying shape cams that come simultaneously into engagement with their respective rockers being concordant, that is to say, they correspondto a determined speed of rotation of the engine.

2. In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine, having fixed upon it an air admission valve actuating cam of uniform shape, an exhaust. cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape, and an injection air admission cam of varying shape, these four cams actuating four rockers; these rockers operating respectively the air admission, exhaust, fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine; the varying shapecams comprising after the lowest portions of their inclined sections, cylindrical sections that correspond to the stoppage of the engine; the sections of the said varying shape came that come simultaneously into engagement with their respective rockers, being concordant.

In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine; a finger at the end of said shaft; a starting valve operated by sai d linger for admitting compressed air for starting the engine; said cam shaft having fixed on it an air admission valve actuating cam of uniform shape, an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape and an injection air admission cam of varying shape; these four cams actuating four rockers, said rockers operating respectively the air admission, exhaust, fuel admission and. the injection needle valves of the engine; the varying shape cams comprising afterthe lowest portions of their inclined sections cylindrical sections that cor respond to the stoppage of the engine; the sections of the said varying shaft cams that come simultaneously into engagement With their respective rockers being concordant.

4:. In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine; a finger at the end of said shaft; a starting valve operated by said finger for admitting compressed air for starting the engine; said cam shaft hav ing fixed on it an air admission valve actuating cam of universal shape, an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape and an injection air admission cam of varying shape; these four cams actuating four rockers, said rockers operating respectively the air admission, exhaust, fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine; a nib on said exhaust valve cam for actuating the corre sponding rocker for the position of the cam shaft that corresponds to the opening of the starting valve; the varying shape cams comprising after the lowest portions of their inclined sections, cylindrical sections that correspond to the stoppage of the engine; the sections of said varying shape cams that come simultaneously into engagement with their respective rockers, being concordant.

5. In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine, collars on the end of said cam shaft, ball thrust bearing engaging said collars, a screw-shaped sleeve fixed to the cage of said ball thrust bearing, a fixed nut meshing with said sleeve, grooves pa 'allel to the axis on the end of said sleeve; a worm wheel engaging said grooves; a worm driving said worm wheel a hand wheel.

actuating said vorrn; said cam shaft having fixed on it an air admission valve actuating cam of uniform shape, an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape, and an injection air admission cam of varying shape; these four cams actuating four rockers, said rockers operating respectively the air admission, exhaust,

fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine; the sections of said varying shape cams that come simultaneously into engagement withtheir respective rockers being concordant.

6. In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine, collars on. the end of said cam shaft, a ball thrust bearing engaging said collars, a screw-shaped sleeve fixed to the cage of said ball thrust bearing, a fixed nut meshing with said sleeve, grooves parallel to the axis on the end of said sleeve; a worm wheel engaging said grooves; a worm driving said Worm wheel; a hand wheel actuating said worm; said cam shaft having fixed on it an air admission valve actuating cam of uniform shape, an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape, and an injection air admission cam of varying shape; these four cams actuating four rockers, said rockers opcrating respectively the air admission, exhaust, fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine; the varying shape cams comprising after the lowest por tions of their inclined sections, cylindrical sections corresponding to the stoppage of the engine; the sections of the said varying shape cams that come simultaneously into engagement with their respective rockers 'being concordant.

7 In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft rotated by the engine, collars on the end of said cam shaft, a ball thrust bearing engaging said collars, a screw-shaped sleeve fixed to the cage of said ball thrust bearing, a fixed nut meshing with said sleeve, grooves parallel to the axis on the end of said sleeve; a worm wheel engaging said grooves; a worm driving said Worm Wheel; a hand wheel actuating said worm; a finger fixed on the end of said cam shaft; a starting valve operated by said finger for admitting compressed air for starting the engine; said cam shaft having fixed on it an air admission valve actuating cam of universal shape,

an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape and an injection air admission. cam of varying shape; these four cams actuating four rockers, said rockers operating respectiyely the air admis sion, exhaust, fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine; a nib on said exhaust valve cam for actuating the 'corre sponding rocker for the position of the cam shaft that corresponds to the opening of the starting valve; the varying shape cams comprising after the lowest portions of their in clined sections, cylindrical sections that cor respond to the stoppage or the engine; the sections of said varying shape cams that come simultaneously into engagement with their respective rockers, being concordant.

S. In a universal distribution gear drive for internal combustion engines, the combination of an axially movable cam shaft driven by the engine; collars on the end of said shaft; a thrust ball bearing engaging said collars; a screw-shaped sleeve fixed to the cage of said 'ball thrust bearing; a fixed nut engaging with said screw sleeve; grooves parallel to the axis on the end of said sleeve; a worm wheel engaging with said grooves; a worm driving said Worm wheel a hand Wheel actuating said worm; an automatic governor driven by the engine acting upon said hand Wheel; a finger fixed on the end of said cam shaft; a starting valve operated by said finger for admitting compressed air for starting the engine; said cam shaft having fixed on it an air admission valve actuating cam of universal shape, an exhaust cam of uniform shape, a fuel admission cam of varying shape and an injection air admission cam of varying shape; these four cams actuating four rockers, said rockers operating respectively the air admission, exhaust, fuel admission and the injection needle valves of the engine; a nib on said exhaust valve cam for actuating the corresponding rocker for the position of the cam shaft that corresponds to the opening of the starting valve; the varying shape cams comprising after the lowest portions of their inclined sections, cylindrical sections that correspond to the stoppage of the engine; the sections of said varying shape cams that come simultaneously into engagement with their respective rockers, being concordant.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LOUIS AUGUSTE CHARLEST. 

